Question

In August 2008, India’s longest runway for the passenger aircraft was commissioned in:

• A. Mumbai
• B. New Delhi
• C. Hyderabad
• D. Bangalore

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

In August 2008, a major milestone in India’s civil aviation sector was achieved when the country’s longest runway for passenger aircraft was commissioned. This happened at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi. The runway that was opened is known as Runway 11/29, and its length is approximately 4,430 metres (around 4.43 km).

Step 1 — Background of the event:
India’s air traffic had been growing rapidly during the early 2000s, and Delhi being the capital city required a modern infrastructure to handle large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8. The Airports Authority of India, along with private operators, decided to construct a runway that could support the heaviest and longest passenger aircraft.

Step 2 — Features of the runway:
• The runway was designed to be the longest in India at that time (4,430 metres).
• It allowed operations of new-generation wide-body jets like the A380.
• It was equipped with CAT III-B Instrument Landing System, which permits aircraft to land even under very poor visibility conditions (as low as 50 metres). This feature was extremely important for New Delhi, which often suffers from dense winter fog.
• It enhanced the overall capacity of IGIA to handle more aircraft movements per hour and reduced congestion.

Step 3 — Impact on aviation:
The commissioning of this runway strengthened Delhi’s position as a global aviation hub. It ensured that New Delhi could accommodate the world’s largest passenger planes and increased safety and efficiency in air operations. The availability of such a long runway also reduced risks during takeoff and landing for heavy aircraft with full passenger loads.

Final Answer:
The longest runway for passenger aircraft in India, commissioned in August 2008, was at New Delhi (Indira Gandhi International Airport). This corresponds to Option (B).